Love in a Coffee Shop
by thisisme-SMC
Summary: Set Four years after high school. Three years after Rachel moved to New York.  Two years after Quinn realized she loved Rachel.  One year after Quinn moved to New York.  And one hour since Quinn watched Rachel walk through security at LAX.
1. Chapter 1

A/N - This is my first attempt at a fic. Chapters will be longer. This is just a starter. Let me know what you think so far. I have more written, just want to make sure it's right before posting. Enjoy!

...

Love in a Coffee Shop –

Set Four years after high school. Three years after Rachel moved to New York. Two years after Quinn realized she loved Rachel. One year after Quinn moved to New York. And one hour since Quinn watched Rachel walk through security at LAX. When Quinn ends up on the same flight back to New York as Rachel, she decides it's time to finally say sorry for senior year.

...

*ding*

"_At this time all electronic devices should be turned off as they may interfere with the aircrafts navigational and communication systems"_

"Rachel, honey, I can hear the flight attendant giving the warning for phones. Call me when you land." Hiram calmly explained to Rachel from the other end of her phone.

"Not yet Dad, the plane hasn't even started moving"

"You know for someone who flies between New York and L.A. as much as you do, you'd think your fear of flying would've lessened by now. You're plane is not going to strike a flock of birds headed south for the winter and have to make a crash landing in a river. That's already happened, what're the chances of it ever happening again?" Hiram said with a slight chuckle. Trying, and failing, to lighten the mood.

"Ugh, where's daddy? He stays on the phone with me and at least tries to make me feel better." Rachel looked up to see a flight attendant with a forced smile across her face. "I gotta go."

"Yes, I know, three minutes ago. Love you honey. Call me when you land in New York."

"Okay, I will. Tell daddy-" Rachel was cut off by the flight attendant, and was none too happy about it.

"Ma'am, you need to turn off your cell phone, immediately." The flight attendant told her through gritted teeth hidden behind her fake smile.

Rachel dramatically hit the END button on her phone and gave the flight attendant a look that said '_happy?'_ . The flight attendant simply nodded and walked away. Rachel quickly turned her body towards the window attempting to shield her phone with her body and tapped out a mass text to everyone in her contacts:

**LA-NYC, if something should happen to the plane, please know that I loved you. Rachel B. Berry***

She hit SEND and held her phone low next her leg and kept an eye on it to see if she received and replies. As usual, the screen never lit up, they were all pretty used to the routine by now. She finally did as the flight attendant said, and turned off her phone.

On the very same plane, 4 rows back and 2 seats over, sat a very calm Quinn Fabray. She had been listening to Rachel talk rather loudly with her dad about all the possible scenarios that could take place during their flight. Surely she was freaking out a few other weary passengers on the plane, but the other passengers on the plane were far from Rachel's thoughts as she explained what happened on a show she watched once where the window on the plane busted and it sucked the lady right through before anyone had a chance to grab her. Quinn watched the scene play out with the flight attendant, and smiled as she imagined the look Rachel had given the lady as she walked away. Then she waited, knowing what would happen next. Quinn also had not turned off her phone. She clenched it inside her pocket, waiting to feel the vibration she knew was only seconds away. When she felt it, she looked up to see if a flight attendant was watching, and when seeing that the coast was clear, she glanced down to see "1 new message from *SUPERSTAR*" displayed across her screen. The smile on her face grew wider.

The first time she had received one of these messages, she was confused and couldn't figure out why Rachel would be sending it to her. Not knowing what to think about it, she never responded. The second time she received one of Rachel's panic-from-the-sky messages, she had been at the park with Puck, and when he received the same message, she realized what Rachel was doing. What she couldn't figure out was if Rachel realized she still had the entire high school Glee club still programmed into her contacts.

One day during senior year, which happened to be the year she and Rachel became actual friends instead of just teammates, Rachel was shocked to find that Quinn didn't have her number in her cell phone. So she took the phone from Quinn's hands and promptly made a new contact titled SUPERSTAR in all capital letters. She handed it back to Quinn and told her she could change the name, but she needed to keep the number.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N - ok, so it's safe to say I did not expect much of a response to the first chapter. Thank you so much for favorites, alerts and reviews. I am quite enjoying this writing thing :) So here we go with the second part. Enjoy!

...

Seeing *SUPERSTAR* on her phone always made Quinn think about senior year. Think about how good it was to have a true friend in the most unlikely of all people. She realized that she was able to open up to Rachel, and be real with her. She realized Rachel had always been the person she could open up to, she just failed to recognize it, and blamed it on Rachel always having to obnoxiously be around when she was breaking down. Senior year she realized that it wasn't that Rachel was there when she broke down, it was that she broke down when Rachel was there.

Senior year was also the year Quinn and Rachel became ex-friends. Senior year was the year Rachel came out. Senior year was the year Quinn regretted the way she treated Rachel for "her lifestyle". And senior year was the last time Quinn had ever spoken with Rachel.

As Quinn sat on the plane staring at the text, she wondered if this is the time she should respond. She thought about senior year, and how much she wished she could just tell Rachel she was sorry. Explain that she was young and was afraid of her own feelings then. She wished she could get the image of the hurt she caused to take over Rachel's normally soft and sweet features out of her head.

But she knew she didn't want the panic-from-the-sky messages to stop, so she never responded. And if Rachel didn't realize she was sending them to her, then they wouldn't stop. Instead she silently whispered what she wished she could write, "Precious cargo aboard. I love you too." As a lone tear fell from her face, she turned her phone off, slipped her buds into her ears and slept for the remainder of the flight home, in New York City.

Quinn hadn't checked a bag, so she knew she had no excuse to be headed towards baggage claim. Yet there she was, a comfortable distance behind Rachel, on her way to baggage claim. Quinn was doing her best not to look like a stalker. Unsure of what she would say or do if Rachel happened to turn around and catch her following her. It's not like she could grab someone else's bag and claim she had a reason to be there. She imagined the amount of security that would tackle her immediately. So she held back a little more. Stopping by the restrooms closest to the carousel that said the luggage from their flight would be arriving on. She tried to look less suspicious and more like she was waiting for a friend to come out. She checked her phone, checked her watch, glanced inside the bathroom, checked her phone again then looked up just in time to see a bag drop from the center of the carousel with a large gold star hanging off the handle that read "Don't Lose Me". Quinn smiled, then let out a snort laugh when she saw a petite brunette jumping up, then pushing her way through the crowd, then jumping up again to see where her bag had moved to. The bag continued around the belt, and every time Rachel was able to push through to about where it was, she'd jump up and see that it had moved further on. So she pushed through a bit more of the crowd, and finally caught up to the overstuffed bag. She planted her feet shoulder width apart, bent her knees, grabbed the handle of the bag with two hands and heaved it off the belt with a thud to the ground. It wobbled back and forth before she was able to steady it on its two wheels and start maneuvering it back through the crowd.

Rachel wheeled her bag a little ways away from the bustle of baggage claim. She stopped, looked up to the ceiling and finally filled her lungs full of air for the first time since walking through security in LA. Rachel hated flying. She had been flying back and forth between LA and New York City for nearly a year now, and she still hadn't found a way to take deep breaths and calm herself.

She had been living in New York for three years and hadn't been able to get her foot into the Broadway scene yet, so when her agent explained to her how popular movie musicals had become, and suggested Rachel audition for one, she did. She got the part instantly, and was now faced with the decision to move to LA and pursue a career in movies, or stick with her dreams of Broadway. So naturally, being Rachel Berry and wanting it all, and wanting it too much, she decided on both. She would continue with her small parts in off Broadway shows until she landed a lead role, and fly to LA to shoot the movie musical she had been cast in. Now if only she could somehow eliminate the center part of the country and make New York and LA neighboring cities. In the meantime, she was just going to have to deal with flying.

Rachel took out her phone and dialed her daddy's number. It rang five times, then went to voicemail. So she settled for a text message instead,

**In New York. The plane ride was terrible. Getting a taxi. Call you later. Rachel B. Berry***

She waited a short while for a reply, and when one never came, she placed her phone back into her bag and headed out to the taxi queue.

Outside the airport, there was so much going on. People happily greeting loved ones. People in business suits in a hurry to get to where they were going. Tourists who looked a little lost and unsure what to do next. Now that Rachel's nerves were calmed from the plane ride, she was able to relax and realize that this is where she belonged. In New York, amongst all the different people. Amongst the busy. She was meant to be breathing this very air.

With a smile on her face, she got a little caught up in her thoughts and hadn't realized the man was telling her to get into cab #707. She snapped out of it took the handle up on her bag and began rolling it towards her cab. She noticed the taxi driver was not paying attention to her, and she needed him to load her bag into the trunk. Instead he was watching just over her shoulder with a puzzled look on his face. Before she could turn around to see what had the cab driver so distracted, she felt a soft tap to her shoulder. Rachel turned around and quickly found her lungs weren't filling with the perfect New York air they were just a second ago.

"I-I have a car, would you, uh, would you like a ride?"

...

A/N - so it seems this is coming out in short chapters, but frequent updates. So I hope that is good. Thank you for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Again, thank you all for reading, reviewing, favoriting and all the other things you may be doing on the other side of your screen. Here's another pretty short update, but I think with the things floating in my head there may be another tonight, but if not, then tomorrow. It also may earn a little bit of it's M rating next chapter...

...

"_Hey!"_

"_Hey, Quinn. Hi. How are you?"_

"_I'm good! I'm good! I'm gooooood good good good good!"_

"_Whoa, what has gotten into you? Hyper much?"_

"_No! nooo no no no no no" Rachel stopped walking and just stared at the extremely hyper girl. "Okay, yes! Yes yes yes yes yes! Hey!"_

"_Hey"_

"_How did you get to school today?"_

"_Finn picked me up, why?"_

"_Are you planning on sitting in the bleachers and swooning over him during football practice?" Quinn asked while batting her eyelashes with her fists tucked under her chin in a mock swooning way. _

_Rachel snapped her head towards Quinn and with much emphasis simply said, "no". _

"_Whoa lady Berry, have we hit a sore spot? I thought swooning after the big guy was your favorite after school activity"_

"_You won't find me swooooning after Finn anymore Quinn, I'm over him."_

"_So, who have you moved on to? Everyone knows Rachel Berry must have a man to live" Quinn said in a half joke half serious way. Because if the first three years of high school were any indication, this was indeed a true statement._

_When she realized Rachel wasn't going to respond and just continued walking towards the school exit, she decided it was time to change the subject. How about back to the reason you just tracked Rachel down, Quinn thought to herself._

"_So, since you don't have a car, would you like a ride home?"_

_..._

Quinn stood in front of a mute Rachel Berry. She could tell the wheels were spinning. Rachel seemed in absolute shock. Quinn quickly regretted her decision to suddenly chase after her. And she really regretted not having something better to say.

When Quinn had seen Rachel stop and take a deep breath after grabbing her bag, she knew it was the first full breath that she had been able to take since LA. She knew, because she had been following and watching her throughout both airports. Some might call it stalking, but Quinn would call it admiring the girl she's loved since senior year from a safe distance in case the girl she loves still in fact, and rightfully so, has the exact opposite feeling of love for her. So no, not stalking. Quinn had watched the girl she loves from a safe distance walk out to the taxi queue, and into her element of people and New York air. She watched her face go from panic-in-the-sky to where-I-belong. She had watched from a safe distance and had decided that it was time. It was time for her to risk it all. It all, at this point, only being her panic-from-the-sky texts, but she really loved getting those texts. But she was going to risk it all for the chance of everything.

So she ran. She shouldered her bag, and she began to run. Still having no idea what to say once she caught up to her. Before she could think of something meaningful, perhaps romantic, oh I don't know, maybe sorry, she was already caught up and placing her hand on Rachel's shoulder asking her if she wanted a ride. _Wow_, she thought to herself, _that could've gone 15 different ways of better._

"I'll take her bag, sir, thank you very much" Quinn said to the cab driver after what seemed like 10 minutes of silence.

"No." Rachel said, finally snapping out of her trance, taking her gaze off of Quinn and turning to the, very confused at this point, cab driver. "No, please load my bag into the trunk." Turning back to Quinn she said in a very business tone, "I appreciate the offer, but I already have a cab waiting."

Rachel slipped into the back seat of the yellow car and the driver closed the door behind her. He walked around to the front driver's side, got in, and took off, with Quinn's precious cargo in his back seat.

Rachel could not remember if she had told the cab driver her address or not. He was driving, and he was driving away from Quinn, so he must know what he's doing. She reached over and pushed the down button for the window, the window did not obey. It did not go down. She slid across the plastic covered seat to the other widow and pushed the down button. She needed air in her lungs. She needed New York air in her lungs. Again, the window did not go down.

"Broken, Miss"

Rachel took all the air reserved in her lungs and, "Sir, I am not broken. I am perfectly fine sir. I am going to be famous on Broadway one day, sir. I'm going to be a famous movie actress. I am going to be on a bus. On the side of a bus. Not on top of a bus. My picture. And my nose, my nose will be on the side of a bus. Barbara. Barbara never got a nose job, I will never get a nose job. I am proud of my nose. And that was Quinn. Sir. That was Quinn. And Quinn has a car. In New York. Why does Quinn have a car in New York?" Rachel's own question caused her to stop talking.

She felt New York air, it was suddenly blowing straight into her face from the front seat.

"The windows ma'am. The windows back there are broken" The cab driver had rolled down his window sometime during Rachel's speech.

"Thank you, sir." Rachel's embarrassed whisper could barely be heard over the New York air now flowing through the cab, and thankfully into Rachel's lungs.

Rachel sat at the bottom of the two flights of stairs it would take to get to her apartment. Her overstuffed bag sat beside her. She held her phone in her hands and stared at the contact labeled Quinn "Luce" Fabray.

...

_Rachel got into the passenger seat of Quinn's red car and tossed her bag to the back seat. When Quinn jumped into the driver's seat, Rachel let out a small laugh and asked her, "What has got you so giddy today?"_

"_Well, I was talking to Jacob Ben Israel and he said that me and Puck are way ahead in the polls for senior prom royalty."_

"_That….that's great Quinn. I thought you didn't care so much this year."_

"_Well, nothing like last year, but I mean, it would really just complete my whole high school experience. I can say that I actually did it. It would be like I was finally accepted. It's just, it is all I have ever dreamed of since," Quinn stopped and thought about what she was going to say next. "Since I've been Quinn."_

"_Quinn, I've told you before, you're so much more than the pretty girl. So much more than what a crown on your head and sash on your chest tells you that you are. And I accept you, now. And I accept who you were. I actually think me and Lucy would've been friends. Actually," Rachel pulled out her phone and scrolled to Quinn's contact info, she hit 'edit' and changed it to _Quinn "Lucy" Fabray_, and handed it over to Quinn, "We __**are**__ friends."_

_To her own surprise, seeing her name, and hearing Rachel say that actually made Quinn smile. She never thought anything concerning Lucy would make her smile. She looked up at Rachel, to make sure she had also seen her smiling. "Just one thing" she said, and hit 'edit' and changed it to Quinn "Luce" Fabray. She handed Rachel her phone back and told her, "Luce, you can call me Luce if you want."_

_Rachel just nodded in agreement._

"_And for the record, I still want that crown." Quinn added as she drove out of the school parking lot._

_..._

Quinn was still sitting in her car at the airport. She had her phone clenched in her hand and her heart streaming down her face in a salty liquid form. She had the last panic-in-the-sky message open, and she kept hitting the side button every time the screen went dark to light it up again. She knew it would be the last one she ever got. Whether Rachel realized she had been sending them or not, this was the last one.

She could come up with a million and four better things she could've said. She could come up with a million and seven different ways she could've approached her. And she would give a million and twenty-three things right now to take it all back, and make it better. She had considered taking the rom-com movie approach by hopping in the next taxi and demanding that the driver "Follow that cab!" She thought better of it, and instead sat in her car and cried. She wished it was raining, it would've made it all so much more dramatic, and Rachel would've actually liked that.


	4. Chapter 4

"Uh, Rachel, honey, are you just going to sit down there all night?"

Rachel turned to see Kurt at the top of the stairs, "I don't know. Maybe."

"Hold on, let me get some slippers on. I'm coming down for you."

Rachel put her phone away before Kurt got down the stairs. She had been typing and deleting words in a text message to Quinn for about 20 minutes. Unsure of what to say, if anything should be said at all. She had half expected another taxi cab to come screeching up to her apartment building and for Quinn to walk out in slow motion. When it never happened, she instead wished that it was raining, to add dramatic flair to it all. The sun was going down, and there was a slight chill in the air. Rachel was actually relieved when Kurt picked up her overstuffed bag and started lugging it up the stairs.

"What did you do? Pack your wardrobe and bring it home with you?"

"Haha… Thanks Kurt."

Once they got upstairs to their shared apartment, Kurt wheeled Rachel's bag to her room and came back out to find Rachel sitting on the couch, just staring at nothing particular.

"Wow, was the flight that bad?

"Quinn has a car in New York. Why would Quinn have a car in New York?"

"Turbulence, huh?"

"Are you even listening to me? Quinn. Quinn Fabray has a car in New York and offered me a ride home. Why does Quinn have a car in New York?"

"Well, honey, my guess is that she drives it to her apartment, and to the store, apparently to the airport, and often to the coffee shop she owns around the corner from Michael's house."

And just like that, Rachel's focus was no longer on nothing particular, but instead fully locked on to Kurt.

"Repeat yourself."

"Quinn drives her car to the store."

"Next."

"Well, today she mostly likely drove it home from the airport."

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel!"

"Ok. Ok. I've never gone in. I've just seen her there, and I know she owns it because it's called _Fabrew Your Beans_"

At this Rachel actually started cracking up. Her laughter became absolutely uncontrollable. Soon tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was slapping Kurt's shoulder repeating "_Fabrew Your Beans?" _over and over again. It wasn't long that Kurt was joining in, and the two were left in a giggling heap on the couch. Slowly gaining the ability to breathe normally, Kurt took Rachel by the shoulders and sat her up.

One last time, she looked at Kurt and asked, "Fabrew Your Beans? Is that real?"

"Yes honey, it's real."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Really Rach? Did you really want to know that Quinn Fabray was living in New York? Plus, I didn't know for sure if she was actually living here or not, but apparently, she has a car in New York, and, did you say she offered you a ride? This story needs more details, spill."

"There actually aren't any, that's all really. I was getting into a cab from the airport, and next thing I know, there's Quinn, asking me if I want a ride. You know, because that is the first thing I would choose to say to someone I haven't seen since high school, or talked to since un-friending them for _their lifestyle._ I would just approach them at the airport and ask them if they want a ride. Who does that?"

"Repressed lesbian." Kurt turned his head away from Rachel and mumbled.

"A pressed what?

Now with his body turned fully towards Rachel, and with his hands placed on her knees, he looked her right in the eyes and said, "Repressed lesbian Rachel. I'm pretty sure Quinn treated you the way she did because she had feelings she wasn't allowing herself to have." Kurt stood and walked to the kitchen. Deciding to leave Rachel with this piece of information to ponder over.

And ponder she did.

"What time are you getting up?" Kurt finally broke the silence from the kitchen, "I'll set the pot to _Fabrew _our coffee for the morning."

Quinn had finally gathered herself enough to drive home. She pulled into the parking garage under her complex and took the elevator to the 5th floor. She tossed her bag onto the couch and headed to the bathroom to shower.

When she got out she put on a t-shirt and panties, and walked out to the living room where she heard her phone beeping from within her bag. She took it out and saw she had 1 missed call and 1 new text message, both from Puck.

**Hey Q girl, just checking in to see how everything went in L.A. They interested? – Puck's your man**

_Yes, very interested. I'm going back in two weeks. I'll give you the details over coffee in the morning. On the house See you tomorrow. –Q_

Quinn went into her room and set her alarm for six a.m., deciding just to call it a night early. She had a lot of work to do at the shop in the morning and way too much on her mind to focus on anything tonight. She pulled back her covers and crawled in. She had an entire bed to herself, yet she always kept close to the edge on one side, never disturbing the pillows or blankets on the other side of the bed.

She closed her eyes, and realized within two minutes, sleep was not going to come. Her mind was going two hundred and eight miles per hour, focused on one thing, and one thing only, Rachel Berry. Superstar. Suddenly she felt a warm sensation on her fingertips, the ones she had used to touch Rachel's shoulder. She found herself staring at her hand, somehow feeling like it had more connection to Rachel than the rest of her body. She laughed to herself and in a mocking voice said, "I shall never wash this hand again" realizing how crazy it was to think that she could still feel Rachel's warmth on her hand. She pulled the covers back up and tucked them under her chin determined to find slumber somewhere under the covers.

Thirty minutes later and sleep still hadn't come. She found her hand, the one still containing the warmth of Rachel Berry (yes, she decided to give in to her crazy thoughts and accept that fact that her hand felt different because it had Rachel's magical warmth on it) she found it making soft circles around her belly button. The feeling the soft touch was giving her in her lower abdomen cause her to bite her lip, which in turn cause her to flinch, and slightly lift her hips off the bed, which conveniently put her Rachel Berry Magic Filled fingers right at the top of her panties. She paused all movement, and thought about what she was about to do.

"Fuck it"

At the same time her hand dipped below the waistband of her panties, her other hand came up her shirt and found itself directly over a hardened nipple. She laughed at herself and the amount of wetness her fingers had just come upon. With one hard pull on her nipple though, all laughing ceased and her fingers were making frantic circles around a very stiff clit.

"Oh, fuck. I am not really doing this right now"

Her middle finger found her entrance and slipped in, as if to prove her wrong.

"Ok. Ok. I am really doing this right now. Fuuuck, I am really doing this right now."

Her other hand had abandoned her nipples. She slid it up her neck as she arched her back and now found herself looking at the headboard. She slipped two fingers into her mouth at the same time she slipped another finger into herself to feel more. Quinn just needed to feel more. She was frantically pumping in and out and sucking on her fingers. When she realized she needed even more, she took her fingers out of her mouth with a pop and moved them down to squeeze her clit as she felt an orgasm about to arrive. She had never given herself and orgasm before, but she also had never touched herself with Rachel Berry Magic Filled fingers before. Just as she was about to come she suddenly stopped all movement.

"No!"

She took her hands out of her soaked panties and threw the covers off of herself.

"No, no no no, you are not doing this right now." She lectured herself as she stormed off to the bathroom to take her second shower for the night, only this one would be significantly colder.

She toweled herself off and decided on long pants and a t-shirt to get back into bed. As she rolled over to turn off the bedside lamp and hopefully get some sleep finally, she noticed her cell phone glowing.

She stared at the name across her screen for a good four minutes. _*SUPERSTAR*_

"Just open the damn message Fabray"

Not having any idea what to expect, she opened the message.

**Fabrew Your Beans? Really? –Rachel B. Berry**

**...**

**A/N - Hey readers! Hi! Can I have your opinion? Should I keep with daily, or close to daily, updates with short chapters? Or update every 3 or 4 days with longer chapters? Thanks again for reading :)**


	5. Chapter 5

"Well if it isn't Broadway's future power couple, cuddling on my couch"

Rachel had just gotten home from rehearsal to find Kurt and his boyfriend, Michael, snuggled up on the couch.

Kurt snuggled into Michael's side more and looked up at Rachel with sleepy eyes. "Why are you home so much later than normal? I know someone looking for a leading male role," he said poking Michael's side, "If your male lead isn't keeping up and keeping you late."

"Oh, oh no, it's not that. I just, uh, went for a little walk after rehearsal."

Rachel couldn't seem to look into Kurt's eyes as she told him about her walk.

"I'm just going to rinse off and call it a night" She added as she walked back to her bedroom. As soon as Kurt heard the shower going, he turned to Michael with curiousness in his eyes. There was something Rachel wasn't telling him.

"Did you notice how she acted? Like she's hiding something? Rachel never goes for walks alone. Something is up and Kurt Hummel is never out of the loop. Oh my goodness, am I out of the loop?" Kurt had somehow made it about him, and Michael just laughed and mentioned that she had been acting a bit different. Secretive.

"When you were out picking up food the other night, she was trying to find out where I lived. She was not very subtle about it. But wouldn't just ask."

"Did you tell her?"

"Well, yeah, I didn't see a reason not to tell her, I just couldn't figure out why she didn't just ask instead of playing 52 questions."

Kurt started to think out loud, "Rachel wanted to know where you live. Rachel is keeping a secret. Rachel went for a walk all by herself. Rachel walked by your house and," Kurt practically leapt off the couch proclaiming, "Kurt Hummel is about to get himself back in the loop, where he belongs!"

Michael just shook his head and laughed.

…

Rachel and Quinn had been texting each other for almost a month now. Three weeks actually.

It started with Quinn responding to Rachel the morning after she got the first text. She couldn't decide if she should bring up the day's events at the airport, or maybe bring up the past, apologize, tell Rachel how much she regretted the way she treated her senior year. Quinn didn't know what to say. So she slept on it. She woke up the next morning and the first thing she did was look at her phone. No new messages, but the one from Rachel still open, and now staring her down like a western showdown.

**Fabrew Your Beans? Really? –Rachel B. Berry***

_Puck came up with it –Q_

It wasn't much, but it was something. It was communication. She decided that she was going to let Rachel take the lead in this so far very awkward dance. It was like freshman homecoming or something.

Rachel didn't write back until later that night after Quinn had already crawled under the covers and was searching high and low for desperately needed sleep. Again the text was simple, and didn't open the doors for the communication Quinn was looking for.

_Let Rachel lead, don't push her. _

She had to remind herself. All she really wanted to do was open up the flood gates and let everything spill out. When she took the lead in high school, she led their friendship over a cliff, and when she took the lead at the airport, she led Rachel into the backseat of the wrong car.

**Tell Noah I like it, and look forward to a Fabrewed beverage one day – Rachel B. Berry***

The coffee shop was all Rachel knew about Quinn post high school, so the coffee shop was all she knew to talk about. She had finally worked up the courage to text Quinn that first night after many, many, oh so very many attempts at words. She tapped away at the letters, then tapped away at the clear key. Letters that formed words, and the clear key that erased sentences. At one point she had her four years since high school chronicled out. Telling Quinn how great her life had been and all the success she had accomplished. She had even told her to look for her nose on the side of a bus, just to see it all disappear in chunks when she held the clear key down. She wanted Quinn to know, she wanted Quinn to know everything she had done, and was doing with her life post high school.

She then found her mind wondering back to the ball of laughter her and Kurt had become over the ridiculously creative and catchy name of Quinn's coffee shop. So that's what she went with. She didn't know what else to say, besides saying everything.

Quinn quickly caught on that the coffee shop is what they were going to talk about for now. So she went with it, and she went all the way with it. She explained to Rachel how her and Puck had been sitting at the park the day she decided she was moving to New York, and they figured she needed something to do when she got there. Puck had been studying business and Quinn had all the money her parents had saved for her to go to college. Since she never went to college, they gave it all to her, plus some and only requested that she use it to get away, and not bother with coming home for the holidays. To say they were disappointed with the way Quinn decided to live her life after school would be the biggest understatement of 2012.

She had sent Rachel a text when she got on a plane headed back to LA later that month.

_NYC to LA. If anything should happen to the plane…. –Q_

That was the first text Quinn had ever sent that wasn't directly about the coffee shop.

Rachel never responded to it.

She was going to LA to open up a _Fabrew Your Beans_ in Hollywood that Puck was going to run. They specialized in organic coffee, and dairy free coffee drinks. It seemed the perfect fit for Hollywood.

The day Quinn flew back home from LA, she spent the entire flight thinking about senior year and about what she had really wanted to say to Rachel when she had caught up to her at the taxi cab that day.

It was simple, and it was _sorry_.

As soon as the flight attendant gave permission to use their phones after the plane had hit the ground, she turned hers on and tapped her finger impatiently on the screen until it had finally booted itself up.

With one deep breath, Quinn took the lead.

_Sorry –Luce_

Send.

…

"_Why aren't you and Santana friends anymore?"_

"_Don't you think we should focus more on getting a song written. I can't figure out why Mr. Schuster thinks original songs will get us anywhere this year. Twelfth place last year didn't give him a clue? They don't work." Quinn's paper sat in front of her, full of swirls, hearts and doodles, and not a single song lyric._

"_You know why we didn't place last year Quinn. And you know it wasn't because of the songs."_

"_Rach, we didn't lose because of you."_

"_We did. And it's ok. I know. But there is no chance of that happening again this year." Wanting to change the subject, Rachel began looking all around her room, searching for inspiration. She spotted her record player and started to hum._

"_I pick a record from my catalogue,  
>I put the needle on my favorite song.<br>You spin round and round,  
>and you play that sound.<br>I can feel the beat,  
>I start moving my feet."<em>

"_No. Just…no." Quinn huffed. "We need to write about emotions. Real things. Not record players. Something we both know about. Something we've both felt. Something…"_

"_Acceptance"_

"_Acceptance." Quinn repeated. "It's perfect"_

"_Or lack there of"_

"_Or lack there of?"_

"_Why aren't you friends with Santana anymore?"_

"_Why do you keep asking me?"_

"_Because you never answer."_

_Quinn went back to doodling on her paper_

"_Bed, where I lay my head,  
>Every night you hold me tight,<br>your warm embrace it keeps me safe,  
>and when I have a nightmare,<br>I wake up and you're still there…"_

"_Stop! Rachel! Stop singing about….things!"_

"_Stop! Quinn! Stop ignoring my question!" Both girls were shouting at this point. "Why aren't you friends with Santana anymore?"_

"_UGH! Stop asking!"_

"_No!"_

"_Because she's gay Rachel. There. Happy? Because she looks at me. She looks at me and I know what she's thinking. I can't….I can't be around her and feel comfortable. I can't…. I just can't Rachel" the last part was said in a whisper and Quinn walked to the furthest part of the room from where Rachel was standing._

"_Do you, do you hate my dad's?"_

"_No, don't be stupid. I don't hate your dad's, I don't hate Santana. I just don't think it's right"_

"_What about me?"_

"_What about you, Rachel?"_

"_What if I told you," Rachel paused for what felt like a minute for every inch of distance between the two of them, "what if I told you that I'm"_

_Quinn held up her hand, as if to stop Rachel's words midair, "Don't Rachel. I can't do this."_

"_Quinn, I accept you for everything you are. I just…I just want the same from you."_

"_Rachel, just…just don't"_

"_Quinn, I'm gay."_

"_I can't do this" Was all Rachel heard Quinn mumble as she shouldered her bag, and made her way to her car. _

_Rachel watched out the window as the red car left her house for the last time._

…

For the past couple weeks, Rachel's face lit up every time _Quinn "Luce" Fabray_ lit up her cellphone screen. She still only talked about the coffee shop. She was proud of Quinn. She wanted to know all about it and how she managed to make it so successful. She learned that the shop had a jazz theme. With old posters of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Freddie Hubbard. It sounded like a place she would go, if she only knew where it was. This was a detail she hadn't asked yet, because she was afraid if she knew where it was, that she would want to go there, and she knew she wasn't ready to see Quinn yet.

When_ Quinn "Luce" Fabray_ lit up her cell phone that day, her reaction was no different from the times before. She had expected it to be a text about how things went in LA. This was the final meeting with the final yes or no for _Fabrew Your Beans_ in Hollywood.

She still giggled to herself every time she thought or said _Fabrew Your Beans_. So she had a smile on her face as she opened the text from Quinn.

One word, followed by one name.

It was simple, it was _sorry_.

...

A/N - Thank you again for continuing to read. This story has taken a completely different course than my head originally had planned it out, so it's been fun to see where it goes. I'm pretty much on this adventure with you, the only difference is, I know how it ends ;)

youtube(dot)com/watch?v=2IMScCK8psU

To hear the full version of Rachel's song about her bed, go to the You Tube link above. It actually is a song about unaccepted love disguised as a silly song about my bed (and totally ignore the horrible singing, you know Rachel Berry does it better)


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey, Pay attention would ya!"

"Sorry, sorry sir."

Quinn really should have been paying attention to all the people around her as she walked through the airport; instead she was watching the screen of her cell phone, waiting for SUPERSTAR to light it up. She had run in to countless people already, but nothing a kind smile and a 'sorry' couldn't fix. A kind smile and a 'sorry', she hoped it could fix her and Rachel as well.

She had made it out to her car, and still had not received a response yet. She started up the car, and sat in the lot for a few minutes before deciding to send off one more text before she headed home.

_Fabrew Your Beans, coming to a Hollywood near you – when you're off making movies anyway. –Q_

Rachel had asked her to let her know how the meetings went and she didn't want to let her down.

When Quinn arrived home that evening, she poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down in front of the TV. She had her phone by her side and was checking it for new messages every five minutes. By the time she had finished up, cleaned up, and was ready to hop in the shower, she checked her phone again to see no messages.

"Come on Rachel," She spoke directly into the phone screen, "at least say something about the coffee shop."

She set her phone on the bathroom counter and stepped into the steaming stream of water. The shower had always been Quinn's best thinking spot. And this time around was hardly any different.

_Just let Rachel lead, you were supposed to let Rachel lead.  
>When she was ready to stop talking about the coffee shop, she would stop talking about the coffee shop. But how could I NOT apologize.<br>I needed to do it, for me. For Rachel. For me and Rachel.  
>Fuck it, who am I kidding? There is no me and Rachel. There is Rachel, and there is me.<br>What did I expect? Rachel to just say, 'oh, ok, I forgive you, let's be best friends forever.'  
>I don't want to be your friend Rachel, I want to be your forever.<br>If she hated me, she wouldn't be talking to me. Sure, it's only about the coffee shop, but I can't give up.  
>I won't give up.<br>I love her.  
>And I can show her that it's safe to love me back.<br>Like she did senior year._

After her shower, she slipped on panties and a t-shirt, crawled under the covers, and checked her phone one last time. No message. _Don't give up Fabray. _And so she decided to send off one more text for the night.

_Goodnight Rachel, sweet dreams. –Q_

**Wait. Don't go to sleep yet –Rachel B. Berry**

You could've made a mold of the smile on Quinn's face and put it in a museum with a small golden plaque under it that read "Biggest Smile Ever"

_I'm still awake -Q_

**Congratulations!** **–Rachel B. Berry**

_Thank you -Q_

**Soon you'll Fa-rule the coffee industry. –Rachel B. Berry**

**Sorry, that wasn't really that funny - Rachel B. Berry**

_I laughed ;) –Q_

**So when will the shop be opening? –Rachel B. Berry**

_It will take a couple months to get everything cleaned up, and the Hollywood crew trained, Puck will mostly take care of everything from here –Q_

Seven minutes passed without a response. Quinn wasn't sure what else to say. It was clear they were back to talking about the shop only, then,

**Quinn –Rachel B. Berry**

_Yeah, I'm still here –Q_

**I forgive you –Rachel B. Berry**

…

Rachel was a believer. She believed in herself. She believed in forgiveness. She believed in second chances. And she believed in love. Senior year she had forgiven Quinn, given her a second chance, and loved her. As she had watched Quinn pull away from her house for the last time through her bedroom window that day, she began to question her beliefs. So she stuck with the one that had never let her down. Her belief in herself.

She had spent the four years since high school solely focusing on herself. She hadn't dated, and she had hardly made any new friends.

Four years later and she remembered why she believed in all of those other things as well. Because it was never too late. Again, she found herself believing in forgiveness, and second, well, third chances.

The significance of Quinn signing off on the text as Luce was not lost on Rachel. Calling Quinn Luce in high school was Rachel's way of showing her that she accepted her for who she is and who she was. This was her saying sorry for not accepting you, from the one you always accepted.

After receiving the text, Rachel knew she wasn't being fair to Quinn by not writing her back right away, but she knew she had some thinking to do first. She needed to be sure that allowing herself to fully forgive Quinn and have Quinn back in her life wasn't going to end in the heartbreak that it had four years ago.

There was another small, minor, yet oh so important detail she still had to think about.

In what way would Quinn be in her life?

Quinn had approached her at the airport, and now Quinn had apologized. Rachel was sure that Quinn had been aware of her crush on her in high school. All of this along with Kurt's comment about Quinn being a repressed lesbian.

"Ha ha, a pressed lemon." She laughed and shook her head. This is what she had thought she heard Kurt say, and now it was all she heard when she thought about Quinn and her possible 'pressed lemonness'. She needed to find out if Kurt was right.

She thought she might try to contact Santana. Honestly, the thought of talking to Santana about Quinn scared her. At the thought of her name, Rachel's head was now filled with untranslatable Spanish being thrown in her face.

Maybe not Santana.

First she thought it best to clear her head. She was on her way out the door to a yoga class when she received the second text about _Fabrew Your Beans_ opening in LA. She was so proud. Her whole being lit up with pride for Quinn, and for Noah.

"Noah!"

Rachel actually looked up to see if a light bulb had popped up over her head, because that's what this felt like. She had the most perfect idea to see if Quinn was indeed a pressed lemon or not.

She laughed again at her own little inside joke. "You're a funny one Ms. Berry."

She was feeling fresh and ready for answers following her yoga class. She was going to call Noah during her walk home. She had ten and a half blocks to go.

One ring… _Oh shoot, I don't even know what I'm going to say_

Two rings_… Just come out and ask?_

Three rings_… Shit!_

"You called Puck"

"Puck! Uh, Noah. It's Rachel. Rachel Berry."

"Caller ID babe"

"Right"

"How's the city? Haven't heard from my girl in forever. You a star yet?"

"I was born a star Noah, and the city is perfect. It's everything. I love it"

She looked up at the street sign as she crossed the intersection, nine blocks to go.

_Bring up Quinn, go from there._

"Congratulations on the coffee shops. I ran into Quinn, she told me you're going to be running the shop in Hollywood."

"Yeah, my girl told me she's been talking to you"

"She did? So she talks about me?"

_Doh, _facepalm. How did her voice just raise to that level without her permission.

"Babe, if she's not talking about coffee, she's talking about you."

"Really? Wha- uh, what about me?"

"You've still got it just as bad as you did it high school, don't you Berry?"

_Why can't I be just as blunt as Noah?_

"I know not what you speak of Mr. Puckerman"

"Mhm. Look babe, I love talking to ya and catchin' up and all, but is there a reason you're calling me for the first time since…since, I don't even know when we last talked."

_Be blunt. Blunt Berry. Haha. Blunt Berry Tea.  
>Focus.<br>'Is Quinn a lesbian?' no, too blunt. 'Is Quinn seeing anyone?' hmm…not bad. Only four more blocks? Slow down speedy McBlunt Berry. _

"Can I ask you a question about Quinn without you telling Quinn that I called and asked a question about her?"

"Shoot Berry"

"Is she… I mean, is it true that…Well, I heard that maybe… Ugh…. So she talks about me?"

"Yes. To all of your questions, yes. Talk to her. Just talk to her. Be the brave Berry that I knew in high school." Puck's tone went from serious to joking when he added, "Thanks for calling the Puckerman love line. And girl, keep in touch, hot Jew to hot Jew, I miss your fine crazy ass."

"Thanks Noah." Rachel had just arrived to her complex, "I'll keep in touch, that's a promise."

With the new information in her possession, Rachel knew what she had to do next. First, let Quinn know she forgave her. Second, woo Quinn. Make Quinn hers. But before any of this, take a shower.

Rachel always sang in the shower, and this time around was no different.

"_I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you__  
><em>_Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.__  
><em>_I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down__  
><em>_I want to come too…_

_I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you_

_No one understands me quite like you do__  
><em>_Through all of the shadowy corners of me_

_I never knew just what it was__  
><em>_About this old coffee shop I love so much__  
><em>_All of the while I never knew…"_

She hadn't realized just how long she had been in the shower until the water started to run cold.

Then came the second indication she had been in there too long.

"Rachel Barbara Berry! If there is no hot water left for me I swear upon my deck of Wicked playing cards I will…"

"Kurt, get out of the bathroom!"

"Seriously Rach, neither of us are interested in the nakedness of the other. What is the big deal? And judging by the steam in this bathroom, you are far beyond your limit and I need to clean up for Michael and I's eight month anniversary, and if there is no hot water left…"

"Calm your boy tits Kurt. Geez. Just close the door. I'm done. Look, water is off" she said as she turned off the water and reached for her towel on the counter. She was unable to reach it while still holding the shower curtain around her body. "if you're not going to leave, can you at least hand me my towel?"

"Is the hot water gone?"

"It'll come back, just give it a minute. Now please, just hand me my towel."

Kurt shook his head, and Rachel took one more reach out towards the counter as her foot slipped on the wet surface and she toppled over the edge of the tub. The shower curtain snapped from its hooks one by one and landed in a heap on top of a very wet and naked Rachel Berry.

After a quick inspection of whether she was ok or not, Kurt picked up her towel and handed it to her. Walking out he turned to say, "at least you didn't fall and break your talent."

After surviving the shower ordeal, Rachel had made herself a grilled cheese sandwich, with vegan cheese of course. She took advantage of Kurt being out for the night and sprawled herself out on the couch with her phone and a blanket. She was trying to decide between calling Quinn or texting her, and whichever one she did, what exactly she would say. She decided that she didn't want Quinn to know that she had already used her ninja skills to find out that she liked girls, and she would just let Quinn tell her on her own.

She had just scrolled through to _Quinn "Luce" Fabray_ in her contacts with the intent of calling her when the very same name appeared on her screen with the words 'new text from' before it.

_Ok, not calling, texting_

…

One week later, and they were officially talking about more than just the coffee shop. All communication was still being done through text.

"What has gotten into you, boss?"

Quinn's employee's had definitely noticed a certain spring to her step.

"I-I'm sorry, what?"

And Quinn was hardly noticing anything else outside of her world filled with Rachel Berry's galloping around rainbows in her head.

"Nothing boss, just, wishing you another good day. Here's your regular." She said handing her a coffee cup.

"Thank you" She said holding the cup in the air as she walked to the back of the store and settled into her office.

_Good Morning –Q_

**Goooood morning Ms. Fabray! –Rachel B. Berry **

_You seem chipper –Q_

**I am a morning person -Rachel B. Berry**

**Did you get your cup of coffee yet? –Rachel B. Berry**

_Yes I did, I am half way to alive –Q_

_So, what are you up to today Ms. Berry? –Q_

**I have rehearsal later, meeting my love interest today –Rachel B. Berry**

_Well that sounds….exciting? Is that exciting? –Q_

**How about I let you know after rehearsal, lol. I never really know what to expect –Rachel B. Berry**

_I'll be in the shop most of the day, doing coffee stuff –Q_

_Would you like to meet for coffee tomorrow morning? We could talk about your romantic interest ;) My treat–Q_

**We are getting a new rehearsal schedule today, so I'm not sure if I will be free or not, but I will let you know when I finish tonight. –Rachel B. Berry**

_Of course, just let me know. I'm going to get some work done, caffeine should be kicking in soon –Q_

**Talk to you later Quinn –Rachel B. Berry **

Rachel had lied through her thumbs, she knew she would be free in the morning, but she was kind of loving their exchange of text messages the past week. Some were flirty and some were just the two of them talking like they hadn't had a four year break from it.

She had a chance to tell Quinn all about the various off Broadway parts she had had, and Quinn told her about the dog she had rescued, but had to give to Puck when she moved into her new place.

She wanted to see Quinn, she did. She just wasn't sure if she was ready or not. She needed to give herself a dry run.

After rehearsal, she took a detour home. She decided that she was going to walk by the coffee shop, see if she could use her recently honed ninja skills to see Quinn, without Quinn seeing her. She was thankful for Michael's precise directions to his place the other day. Once she made it there, she knew the coffee shop would be just around the corner.

She walked to the intersection, and peered around the corner. There is was, _Fabrew Your Beans_. She again had felt herself fill with pride, because it was the perfect thing for Quinn to accomplish, and she was proud of her. Rachel took it all in, she found a place from across the street where she could still see inside. The store front was all windows, and was filled with patrons sipping coffee and checking their e-mail. She could faintly hear the jazz music coming from inside, and when someone had opened the door to enter the shop, she recognized the song, and began to hum along, getting lost in the moment. She was keeping her eye on the front counter, waiting to see if Quinn would appear, and so far she hadn't.

When the door opened and she could hear the jazz music fill the air again, the music filled her from her toes to the edges of the smile that painted her face. She knew, even without seeing Quinn tonight, she was ready. She took out her phone and tapped out a message, then with one twirl and skip, she took off home.

**I'm free tomorrow morning, let's meet for coffee, your treat ;) –Rachel B. Berry**

Quinn looked up from her phone after reading the text to watch Rachel disappear with a twirl and a skip.

...

Rachel was singing Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg in the shower

A/N - Hope you enjoyed! Thank you so much for reading and giving this story a chance. Love the reviews, it's true! Should have another one up in a couple days :)


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you again for the interest :) For the favorites, reviews and alerts. You sure are a bunch of kind people to a girl you don't even know *Blush* Would also like to apologize for any spelling or grammar errors, I'm trying :) Hope you enjoy the newest update. See ya at the end!

...

"You called Puck."

"Puck"

"Hey Q girl, what's brewing?"

"Coffee shop humor, good one"

"Yeah I'm know, I'm good. Spread the word would ya."

"Any news from Hollywood?"

"Loving the weather, this place is the shit Q. Still can't believe we did it!"

"You did it Puck, Hollywood is all you"

"Alright girl, what's with the sad voice? Did you really call me to talk coffee?"

"Rachel just left the shop"

"And we're sad about this because…."

"Because, Puck, I'm such a fuck up. I couldn't freaking, god, I couldn't talk to her. I didn't know what to say, it was so awkward. When we're texting, it's fine, I can tell her anything, and she tells me stuff, and it's fine. As soon as she walked into the shop, I just, god. Puck, I am such a fuck up."

"Damn girl. I don't even know what to say. "

"I just got so damn nervous. Then the guilt. God, the guilt. And she looked so… Oh god she looked so good, and she smiled, she smiled and I lost it. I couldn't look at her. I came back to the office to regain myself, to pull myself together, and when I came back out, with my confidence intact, she left"

"She just walked out?."

"I should've gone after her. I wanted to tell her everything. I just, I need to just tell her everything. I need her to know why I treated her the way I did, and I need…"

Quinn stopped talking when she heard a familiar voice outside of her office talking to Emily, the barista on duty.

"Q girl, you still there? Look, just talk to her. Tell her everything. Tell her that you loved her then, and you love her now. She'll love that. Make some big romantic speech. She'll eat that shit up. Do it in public, like a scene from a movie. A huge dramatic declaration…"

Quinn had stopped listening to Puck as soon as her office door came swinging open. She heard something that resembled Charlie Browns parents coming from the phone and realized he was still there.

"Listen Puck, I gotta go"

And before he even had a chance to respond, Quinn clicked 'end' and set her phone down, her eyes never leaving the girl now standing with her back to the door, hands behind her back and slightly out of breath.

"R-ra, uh" she cleared her throat, _let's try that again, _"Rachel. Hi. Wh- uh, what're you doing here?"

"Do you think you can come to this side of the desk?"

"I-I um. Yeah, yes. Yes I can." Quinn got up and straightened out the back end of her skirt. She slowly walked around, running her hand along the wood surface just in case she would need support, then leaned against the opposite side from where she had just been sitting.

"Can you maybe come over here?"

Quinn simply nodded her head, and pushed off the wood surface, taking one large step, and suddenly missing the support of the solid desk. She still hadn't taken her eyes off of Rachel since she walked through the door.

"Quinn, I- I need to do something. I'm going to do something. Because I need to know. Because I thought I knew, and now I don't know, and I don't like not knowing. And I didn't plan it like this. There was a lot of middle in the plan. But the beginning didn't go right, so I need to go to the end, then maybe back to the middle. I'm going to do something, Quinn."

Rachel took one small step forward, hands still behind her back. They were standing so close, that if Rachel were to look up and Quinn were to look down, the tips of their noses would meet.

_I was right, we do fit perfectly,_ Quinn thought, she only wished Rachel would look up. She could hear her breathing quietly, but heavily.

"Rachel"

"Mhm"

"You, you were going to do something?"

"Mhm"

"Rachel, were you going to" _please don't be wrong about this, please don't be wrong about this, _"were you going to kiss me?"

"Mhm"

Quinn suddenly felt very lightheaded. She needed support. She needed something solid. And the only thing that was there, was Rachel. So she placed her hands and Rachel's hips, and leaned forward just slightly. Rachel reacted to the new contact by finally looking up. The tip of her nose grazed Quinn's, and the taller girl actually let out a very small laugh.

_See. Perfect._

Quinn leaned back just slightly, now feeling a little more solid on her own two feet, she took one hand and moved it up to the side of Rachel's face. Their eyes met, and she could see a tear about to escape the shorter girl's eye.

Quinn shook her head, silently asking her not to cry. And as the tear brimmed over the edge, she simply caught it with her thumb.

"Why am I scared?" Rachel's small voice broke the silence.

Knowing the answer, Quinn just reached around the small girls back and pulled her to her body and into a gentle hug. She would tell Rachel why she was scared, and that it was because of her. But for now, she was just going to hold her.

"Rach, let's just start at the beginning"

…

"Kurt Hummel is always in the loop!"

Rachel just ignored Kurt as she walked through the kitchen. She stopped to look at her reflection in the microwave door, and smoothed down a couple of stray hairs. She had decided to wear her hair down, and wavy, with her bangs pushed to the side. She smiled, and decided she had made a good choice.

"Rachel! Loop," Kurt gestured dramatically with his hand making a large circle in the air, "let me in it."

"There is no," Rachel mockingly made an even bigger circle in the air between them, "loop!"

"Last night you come home later than normal, and this morning," Kurt gave Rachel a full body scan with his eyes, "You look smoking hot, for what?"

"Look, Kurt, I just like to feel…pretty. And I'm going to get coffee is all."

The over dramatic boy quickly turned on his heel and pointed at the couch, suddenly, it was all coing together and he began thinking out loud, "Coffee. Directions to Michael's house. Around the corner from Michael's house. And Quinn. Quinn's car in New York. And," he turned back to face Rachel who just rolled her eyes, "Quinn Fabray!"

Rachel just shook her head and began to walk back to her bedroom to grab her purse. Kurt was not far behind, and when she grabbed her purse and turned around, she was suddenly face to face with the boy.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Rachel sidestepped and began to walk back down the hallway towards the front door, "There is nothing to tell."

"Like hell, Rachel Berry, spill."

"I said there is nothing to tell, and I mean that. We're having coffee. That's all. You and I have coffee together every morning, what's the big deal."

"Was I right?"

"About…?" Rachel asked, stopping her pursuit towards the exit, and turning towards Kurt.

"Repressed lesbian? She wanted you in high school. Right? Was I right?"

"Look, Kurt, I don't know. I mean, I think I know. I'm pretty sure that I definitely do know. But, I have a plan."

"A plan?"

"A plan!"

"Care to share said plan?"

"Charm her with my, well, my charm." Rachel gave her signature smile, and a wink.

"Charming"

"Eventually she'll confess that she was a pressed lemon-"

"A what?"

"Follow along. She'll confess that she loved me in high school, and I can finally tell her that I loved her too, and that when I saw her at the airport, the love came back, and every time she sends a text the love grows. Then we'll kiss, and live happily ever after."

"Can I be your maid of honor?"

Rachel just smiled, looked over at the clock on the microwave and announced that she had to go.

As she headed out the door, down the stairs, and started towards the coffee shop, she suddenly remembered that Quinn didn't know that she knew where the shop was.

She decided she would tell her she used Google Maps' walking directions.

_Why didn't I actually just use Google Maps in the first place?_

Rachel had left her apartment early, giving herself extra time to enjoy her walk. She loved New York mornings. The perfectly crisp air that filled her lungs with every intake of breath. There was still a slight chill in the air, so she wrapped her arms around her body and hugged herself for a little extra warmth. As she passed a store front window, she caught a glimpse of her reflection and thought about what Kurt had said, she did look pretty smoking. With an upgraded look to her typical high school wear, she was wearing a shorter than necessary black and green plaid skirt with a tight fit and low cut black top. No knee socks, her glorious long, tan legs were on full display.

She reached the block of the coffee shop and could see the sign. Suddenly her nerves hit her. She was unsure where they had come from, because she feeling confident for this date…

_Oh, is this a date?_

_No,_ she thought to herself, _not a date, not yet, this is just the beginning, this is just the 'charm her' part._

And so Rachel Berry put on her most charming smile and stepped through the doors.

The smile quickly faded into a look of awe. She had seen the coffee shop through the windows and from a distance, but inside, it felt like a magical place. It was officially combining two of her favorite things. Music and coffee. The scent that filled the room was better than any coffee she had ever smelt. She wondered if it was just because she knew it was being _Fabrewed_ by Quinn. There were old time jazz instruments displayed on the walls. Trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. There was an old upright piano in the corner. And an open area with no tables or chairs next to it that could work as a makeshift dance floor.

"May I help you miss?"

Rachel's thoughts were cut off by the barista behind the counter, she looked at her name tag, "Hello Emily, I am Rachel Berry, and I am looking for Quinn Fabray."

"Yes, yes of course. She is in her office, let me go get her for you."

"Thank you Emily."

Rachel slowly walked towards a set of couches and decided to sit down and wait for Quinn. She got a little lost in the music and the atmosphere, and when she looked back towards the counter, she caught Quinn's eyes. She was just standing there, staring a Rachel.

_Charm her_

Rachel stood up and walked toward the counter again. Quinn clearly wasn't coming her way. When she approached the counter, she gave Quinn her most charming smile and said "Good morning Quinn. You look very nice today"

"Good morning Rachel."

She was talking to her in more of a coffee shop owner to customer tone.

"What can get for you to drink?"

A bit taken back by her charming smile and sweet good morning not having any sort of effect on Quinn, Rachel simply said she'll take a soy latte with extra foam.

Emily offered to make the drinks, but Quinn just brushed her off with a smile and began to make herself and Rachel their coffees. Not sure where to sit, or really what to do, Rachel just stood by the counter and waited. Quinn didn't speak to her or even look at her while she steamed the milk then topped off the cups with foam. She handed one of the drinks over to Rachel, and motioned towards one of the tall tables. Rachel followed Quinn through the shop, past the couches, and wished they were sitting on them instead. They took their seat at the table Quinn had chosen and Rachel took a sip of her hot beverage.

"Mm, it's very good Quinn. Thank you"

Quinn just nodded, she hadn't said a word since taking Rachel's order.

"So," Rachel found herself fishing for conversation, "turns out my romantic interest in the musical isn't so bad."

"That's really great"

Well, at least there were words, but now again, silence.

Rachel continued to sip her latte, wondering how in the world she was supposed to charm Quinn when she wouldn't even look up at her, or hardly speak to her.

Rachel opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off.

"Rachel, I- oh, I'm so sorry, were you going to say something?"

"No, I just, no. You go ahead."

"It was nothing, what were you going to say?"

Rachel was screaming in her head. This is not at all how this was supposed to go. Quinn asked HER to come here and meet for coffee and to talk. So why wasn't she talking?

"How is Noah? How is he liking L.A.?"

Noah was the last thing she wanted to be talking about right now.

"Not sure, haven't talked to him since he moved into his new apartment there." Quinn looked around, then looked up towards the counter where Emily was taking orders. "Rachel, I'll be right back. I just need to go take care of something. Hope you don't mind."

"No, no. Not at all."

When Quinn got up and walked away, Rachel actually breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't understand what was going on. They had been texting and having normal conversations for the past week. Things seemed to be going great. And today was supposed to be the beginning of the plan.

Something suddenly struck Rachel. What if she was wrong? What if Quinn did just want to be friends again. She now regretted dressing up, and she regretted telling Quinn she looked nice, she regretted the charming smile she had given her.

But Noah had told her she was…

_Wait_

She never actually asked Noah the question. He never actually told her Quinn was gay. What if she had taken everything the wrong way?

Rachel quickly finished up her latte and stood up as Quinn approached the table again.

"Thank you again Quinn, really. The place is nice, the coffee was great. I've got to go. Things to do." She grabbed her purse and headed out the door, "I'll text you."

Rachel had gotten two blocks away from the coffee shop, when she made the sudden decision to turn around. She started walking at a normal pace, thinking out loud, "I know I'm not wrong" her pace picked up, "I just know, I thought I knew, I need to know." She was practically running now towards the shop. Determined to find ou if she was right or wrong.

She walked through the doors, practically out of breath, and towards the counter.

"Hi, Emily, is Quinn around? I'm looking for Quinn."

"Hello Miss Berry, I believe she went back into her office, would you like me to let her know you're here?"

"Can you actually just point me to her office please."

"Sure, it's right there."

"Thank you Emily, you've been a great help."

Rachel stood with her hand on the handle and attempted to control her heavy breathing. It wasn't happening so she just went with it, she was going to kiss Quinn Fabray, and she was going to find out if she was right.

She stepped into the office and asked Quinn to come to her.

_Wow, I can be demanding_

She had given her speech and now was the moment, all she had to do was look up, and capture her lips. But instead, she was captured by something else. By the warmth of Quinn, and the smell of Quinn, and the sudden fear of heartbreak by Quinn. They just stood there.

Words were not forming. Where did her words go?

_Mhm_

_Mhm_

_Mhm_

And now Quinn's hands were on her hips. The warmth she had felt in front of her now shot through her. She looked up, and there she was, the scariest and the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. The warmth of her hands was moving, and now was touching her face. Rachel could not figure out which emotion was stronger. The immense love, or the sudden fear. The internal fight in her caused a lone tear to spill from her eye. Quinn caught it for her. Just has she had caught her senior year.

"Why am I scared?" She knew, Rachel knew why she was scared.

The warmth of Quinn was now all around her. Covering every inch of her body and her fear was quickly dissolved as she let herself dissolve into Quinn. She brought her hands from around her back and held onto Quinn like if she were to let go, she might lose her again. She took in the smell, and she took in the feeling of safety. She was already forgetting why she was scared.

"Rach, let's just start at the beginning"

Rachel just nodded her head against Quinn's chest, determined to stay there for as long as she would let her.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I'm posting this without proof reading it first. Didn't feel right leaving it off where I did.

…

Rachel and Quinn had walked. They had walked and they had walked and they had walked some more. And the entire time they walked, they talked. About everything. They weren't even sure where they had ended up. What they were sure of, was the fact that their fingers were intertwined, and the sun was setting over New York. The night time chill was starting to set in and they had silently communicated to each other that perhaps it was time to stop walking. They made their way over to the nearest bench and Quinn sat down first. Rachel followed, not wanting to let go of Quinn's hand, but giving in when she realized Quinn was letting go so she could wrap her arm around Rachel and hold her close into her side. It was the longest amount of time since leaving the coffee shop that morning that they had been silent. They sat comfortably in the silence and in the embrace of each other.

…

"Emily, I'm going to be out for the rest of the day, take messages."

Rachel had already walked outside and was waiting for Quinn to meet her out front. She first needed to tie up a few loose ends and make sure everything would be good to go before she took an impromptu day off.

Quinn walked out the door and spotted a pacing Rachel Berry out on the sidewalk. She placed her hand into the crook of Rachel's elbow stilling her movements.

"Hey"

"I'm so sorry Quinn, about what I just did in there."

"Please, don't be. I'm sorry for the way I acted over coffee, I was just, well, I guess I was just really nervous"

Rachel just smiled and nodded, then looked down as Quinn's hand still resting on her arm. Quinn smiled and removed her hand and started to walk, nodding her head in the direction she was going for Rachel to follow.

"Now that we have our sorry's for today all straightened out, let's walk"

"Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure just yet, but let's just go"

And so they walked.

At one point they found themselves in a park. They had been talking about little things that didn't matter too much, like Kurt, and how he and Rachel had ended up living together. And about his boyfriend and how happy they seemed. Rachel had also talked about the off Broadway musical she was currently in rehearsals for, and about the movie musical that had just wrapped in L.A.

"So, no more flying back and forth?"

"_Almost _no more flying back and forth, for now. I still need to go back and do some after production work. I'm not really sure, I'm still pretty new to the movie making business."

"So when do you have to go back?"

"In a week" Rachel pouted and her shoulders slumped.

"I know you hate flying"

"It's the worst feeling that exists in the history of all feelings"

"How about I… fly with you. It would be nice to see the progress of the Hollywood shop, and-"

"Really?"

"Of course, and maybe I could," Quinn reached down and grabbed Rachel's hand, she brought it up to her chest and covered both of their hands with her other one, "help you not to be so scared. I could hold your hand, and together, we could not be so scared"

Rachel stopped walking, and turned to look right at Quinn, "I can't tell you how much I would love that"

Quinn dropped her hand and started walking again, "Give me the dates and your flight numbers and times and all the details, so I can get a ticket bought. I can pick you up and drive us-"

Her words and thoughts were stopped by the feeling of Rachel's fingers running along her palm, then intertwining with her own.

She looked over at the shorter girl, and with an exchange of genuine smiles, they continued walking.

Quinn stopped at a street vendor to get something to eat around lunch time, she turned to Rachel and asked if she would like something and Rachel just made an 'ick' face a rapidly shook her head.

"Right, vegan. Well, let's get you something to eat then, where would you like to go?"

They found a Thai restaurant nearby and ordered some take out then continued on their walk to wherever they were going.

They continued to talk, and as soon as they both had finished their food and discarded their trash, they found their hands naturally found their way to back to one another's.

They now found themselves at another park, or maybe it was the same park, had they been going in circles? Quinn had been talking about the adventures that her and Puck had in the years in-between high school and now. Puck was taking classes in Columbus, and Quinn was living the free life, working random waitressing jobs and visiting the college campus every chance she got. She would party with all of Puck's friends, and often crash in the twin bed with him.

"How did you and Noah end up back together?"

"Oh, we weren't together, he was just the only one who ever contacted me after high school, and it turns out he was really easy to talk to"

"Yeah, Noah and I had a few good talks in high school too"

"He helped me realize some things, and he helped me pick up my life and do something with it"

"What kind of things did he help you realize?" Rachel knew what she was fishing for by asking this question.

"Well, this." Quinn said, just barely lifting their joined hands to indicate the connection. "He helped me realize that I needed your friendship back. That it was the thing that got me through senior year."

Rachel started rubbing small circles with her thumb over the backside of Quinn's hand. Silently asking her to continue.

"He helped me realize the reason I reacted like I did when you told me you were –when you came out to me" Quinn paused, because she knew that she had begun to do what she had wanted to do all along, which was tell Rachel everything.

"Quinn"

"Rachel, you were the best thing to happen to me in high school. You cared. For some unknown reason, you cared about me more than anyone else ever had"

"It's not an unknown reason, Quinn"

"You accepted me, you always, you made me feel like it was ok to be who I was, who I had been. You, you were the first person to ever accept Lucy –"

"Luce" Rachel corrected with a smile.

"I'm so sorry Rach"

"I forgive you Quinn, I do. I forgive you"

"I'm sorry that I'm the reason you were scared today, but I promise you," She stepped in front of Rachel and stopped walking, "I will never give you any other reason to be scared anymore. I don't want you to not be in my life ever again"

Tears began to fill Quinn's eyes, and just as Quinn had caught her tear earlier, Rachel reached up with her free hand and gently caught the one stray tear that escaped the hazel eyes.

With the entire length of their arms making contact, and their hands still joined, they continued on.

There was a short moment of silence before Quinn squeezed the tiny hand in hers, Rachel mimicked the action and looked up at Quinn as the pace of their walking started to slow down.

"Rachel, I didn't know it then, but I loved you"

"I know. I didn't know it then either, but, I know"

"And Rachel, I came to New York to find you"

"You found me"

"I found you"

…

They had been sitting on the bench in silence for nearly an hour now, the sky had gone completely dark and you could see a few stars shining about the skyline.

Quinn was sure that Rachel had fallen asleep on her shoulder until she suddenly felt her cold nose nuzzle into her neck. She pulled the small girl into her body, bringing them even closer to the point that Rachel was practically on her lap.

Rachel's hand found a small area of warm skin just under the hem of Quinn's shirt, and had started to lightly graze her fingers over the goosebumps that had begun to form.

Quinn let out a breath and she could see the mist it formed in the cool air in front of her. She closed her eyes and let her body sink into the girl she was holding. The feeling of the cold nose on her neck was replaced with two parted, wet lips.

Rachel just held her lips there for a moment, and with one deep breath through her nose, she allowed her tongue to reach out and meet skin before she sucked lightly followed by two small pecks to the same spot.

"Quinn" Rachel's voice was soft and muffled, and Quinn had no response.

She lifted her head off of Quinn's shoulder, "Quinn, look at me"

She opened her eyes, and found Rachel's brown eyes, just barely lit by the soft lamp over their heads.

"Quinn, I'm going to do something"

With that she pushed her hand up under Quinn's shirt and rested it on the warm skin of her back and brought her lips together.

The kiss was soft and short.

Rachel pulled back, just slightly, and grazed her nose over the tip of Quinn's.

"Rachel Berry, are you going to kiss me?"

"Mhm"

Quinn raised her hand up to Rachel's face and ran her thumb over her bottom lip before pushing her fingers back into her brown locks and pulling Rachel back into her. Their lips met this time with more passion, and more want. Quinn parted her lips, and Rachel slipped her tongue inside, just a little, just to tease. Then she smiled against Quinn's mouth.

Quinn grabbed each side of the grinning girls face and pulled her back just slightly, shaking her head, she brought their lips back together one more time and kissed her hard. Then pulled her away again.

"Do you even know where we are?" Quinn asked.

"No, but I know how to give the cab driver my address" A giggling Rachel hopped off the bench and held her hand out for Quinn to take. As soon as the blonde was standing in front of her she wrapped her arms around her neck and stood on her tip toes so her mouth was right on Quinn's ear.

"I love you too, Luce"


	9. Chapter 9

*ding*

"_At this time all electronic devices should be turned off as they may interfere with the aircrafts navigational and communication systems"_

Quinn snapped her seatbelt, and gave it a tug. "Are you ok?" she looked over at Rachel who was blankly staring straight ahead. She didn't respond, so Quinn asked again "Rachel? Are you-"

"Hold my hand?" She could barely be heard, and her eyes were still locked forward.

Instead of answering her, Quinn simply wrapped her fingers around her arm just above the crook of Rachel's elbow. She rubbed a few soft circles with her thumb before sliding her hand down the soft skin of her forearm and finally interlocking their fingers. With her free hand, she slowly brought it up to Rachel's cheek and ran her thumb over Rachel's cheek bone. This caused the frightened girl to turn and look at her for the first time since boarding the plane. The usual brightness in her brown eyes had been replaced with complete fear. Quinn moved her hand from Rachel's cheek, around to the back of her neck and up through her soft brown locks of hair. Reassuring hazel eyes locked onto fear filled brown eyes and Quinn pulled Rachel forward until their foreheads were touching and whispered, "I'm here."

"Always?" She heard whispered back.

She breathed in the breath she felt on her lips that had been released with the question. She waited for the shiver it caused to travel fully down her spine before slightly tilting her head to the side and connecting her lips with the soft trembling ones that belonged to the most amazing person she had ever known.

"Always" She whispered before bringing their lips together again. "Always."

…

"Rachel Berry!" Kurt whisper yelled as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

Rachel spit her mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and glared at Kurt through the mirror "Wha- why do you insist on entering the bathroom while I am clearly using it? What- what if I had been naked?"

"Yeah, well, you're not. Now please do feel free to explain why Quinn Fabray is in our kitchen"

"Quinn who? Where? What?" Rachel quickly questioned with mock surprise. She took a swig of mouthwash and began to swish it around.

"Don't play stupid Rach. Did you- did she stay the night?"

Rachel held her glare on Kurt through the mirror as she continued to count to 30 in her head then spit the blue rinse into the sink. She used her hands to splash some water up onto her face. Dried her hands on the towel and walked right past Kurt and out the bathroom door.

Thinking about the state she had just left Kurt in in the bathroom caused a satisfactory smile to form across her face as she walked into the kitchen.

"Brushing your teeth sure does make you happy" Quinn smiled. "Are you ready to –"

"Play along" Rachel cut her off with a huge grin on her face when she heard Kurt leave the bathroom and walk towards the kitchen. Quinn gave her a confused look, but nodded and mouthed 'ok'.

A frustrated Kurt walked into the kitchen and was attempting to observe the situation. He looked between the two girls and opened his mouth to say something to Quinn but the voice of Rachel came first, "How did you sleep last night Quinn?"

Quinn still held a confused look on her face, and started to answer, "I –"

But she was immediately cut off by Rachel who seemed to be the only one allowed to hold the talking stick in the kitchen. "Because you seemed to be sleeping great, I didn't want to wake you." She gave Quinn a huge smile that caused her to let out a tiny laugh.

Quinn finally seemed to catch on to what Rachel was doing. She gave a slight nod in the smaller girls' direction, and in a sultry low voice stated, "I was exhausted after," she glanced over at Kurt, then back to Rachel, "you know, we, you know, all night long"

Both girls started laughing hysterically when they caught the look on Kurt's face that had quickly gone from disgusted shock to embarrassed anger. He huffed and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Kuuuurt!" Rachel called out after him, still unable to stop laughing. "Come on. Come back."

His footsteps down the hall stopped, then continued back in their direction. He walked back into the kitchen as if nothing had happened, gave Rachel a smile and a "good morning" then turned to Quinn whose laughter was slowly coming to an end, "Quinn, so lovely to see you after all this time. Welcome to," He gestured around the room, "our kitchen."

"A lovely kitchen it is." Quinn's tone turned a little more serious, "It really is nice to see you Kurt. I'm sorry it wasn't sooner, and I'm sorry about… that. But you know it was all her idea, right?" She pointed a finger at the still giggling girl.

"It had to be done. And Quinn will be joining me on my final trip to L.A. today, she is just here to pick me up"

Quinn and Kurt sat at the table and caught up on some of their lost time while Rachel finished getting ready.

When Rachel came down the hall rolling her bag behind her, Kurt offered to take it and the three of them walked down the stairs to Quinn's car.

"Look Rach! Quinn has a car in New York!" Kurt teased as he heaved the bag into the truck of said car.

Rachel played along, "But why would Quinn Fabray have a car in New York?" she dramatically lifted her hands to the air and looked up as if looking for the heavens to give her the answer.

"It seems she is going to use it to drive you to the airport."

Quinn just smiled and shook her head "You two are weird, I don't think I even want to know what is going on right now."

"Just take care of my girl," Kurt told her in much more sincere tone, "she hates this whole flying thing."

Quinn looked over at Rachel whose smile had completely dropped off of her face at the mention of flying. "So I've heard." She turned back to Kurt, "I'll take care of her. So nice catching up with you Kurt."

They hugged and said their goodbyes to the boy and took off in Quinn's New York car headed to the airport.

Rachel didn't talk much for the entire ride to the airport. Nor did she speak much as they checked in and made their way through security. Her joking demeanor from the morning had been fully replaced with her fear of flying. She couldn't tell if having Quinn by her side was making things better or worse. She mostly just felt numb, and slightly embarrassed that the girl she loved in high school, and had spent four years wondering if that love for her would ever go away, was witnessing her in such a state.

In the week since the girls had shared their first and only kiss that night on the park bench, their time had been spent with morning coffee dates and continued walks through the park before they each started their days.

They had shared meaningful and silly moments together as they each caught eachother up on the lost years. Rachel had exposed many sides to Quinn in such a short amount of time, and now she was about to expose what she thought was herself at her worst.

Quinn seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk, and simply placed a hand on her leg as they sat and waited to board at the gate, then as they walked down the skyway to board the plane Quinn had gently put her hand on Rachel's lower back and led them to their seats.

And now as Quinn pulled away from kissing away her fears and promising her 'always', Rachel realized that she had just taken her first full breath on a plane _ever_, and it felt really good. Even though it was recycled plane air and not her beloved New York air, it was shared with Quinn, and it tasted perfect.

"Can we do this more often?" Rachel asked. Their foreheads still connected and each breath still shared.

Quinn pulled back and gave her a confused look, "You want to fly more often? But I thought –"

"No. No, not the flying part. This part." She said as she leaned forward and reconnected her lips with the ones she had been craving for a week now.

About an hour into the flight and Rachel was slowly feeling better and better about being a god awful amount of miles off the ground. They had been playing with eachothers fingers and giving eachother loving looks. But they hadn't talked much.

Rachel stole a kiss to Quinn's cheek and laid her head down on her shoulder. She was watching their hands, and was amazed how perfect they fit. She tilted her head up and placed a small kiss to the underside of Quinn's oh so perfect jaw. She smiled as she saw the goosebumps that formed over the soft skin of Quinn's neck. She settled back down on her shoulder.

"Tell me something."

Quinn breathed out a laugh, "Tell you what?"

"Anything you haven't told me yet."

With a squeeze to Rachel's hand she told her, "I looked for you after graduation."

…

_Principal Figgens leans down to speak into the microphone in the center of the stage, "And Lauren Zizes"_

_Lauren walks onto the stage and accepts her diploma. Before descending down the stairs she thrusts her pelvis and yells "Bitches!" followed by cheers and laughter._

"_Settle down, se-settle, please. People." Figgens attempts to calm the crowd. _

_As the laughter finally dies, he smiles, "And now, please welcome select seniors from your National Show Choir champion glee club for a special performance"_

_Rachel and Santana take the stage, with a smile to each other as the orchestra starts to play, Rachel grabs Santana's hand. Finn appears on the drum set behind them with a beat. _

_Santana looks away from Rachel, and to her fellow graduating class mates, and starts with the first verse._

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives  
>Where we're gonna be when we turn 25<br>I keep thinking times will never change  
>Keep on thinking things will always be the same<br>But when we leave this year we won't be coming back  
>No more hanging out cause we're on a different track<br>And if you got something that you need to say  
>You better say it right now cause you don't have another day<br>Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down  
>These memories are playing like a film without sound<br>And I keep thinking of that night in June  
>I didn't know much of love<br>But it came too soon  
>And there was me and you<br>And then we got real cool  
>Stay at home talking on the telephone with me<br>We'd get so excited, we'd get so scared  
>Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair<br>And this is how it feels

_Rachel joins her for the chorus_

As we go on  
>We remember<br>All the times we  
>Had together<br>And as our lives change  
>Come whatever<br>We will still be  
>Friends Forever<p>

_Puck hops up onto the stage and starts rapping the second chorus_

So if we get the big jobs  
>And we make the big money<br>When we look back now  
>Will our jokes still be funny?<br>Will we still remember everything we learned in school?  
>Still be trying to break every single rule<br>Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?  
>Can we ever find a job that won't interfere with a tan?<br>I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye  
>Keep on thinking it's a time to fly<br>And this is how it feels

_They all come together to sing the chorus as a tear comes to Rachel's eye, Puck and Santana hug her from each side, and they continue to sing with their arms wrapped around Rachel's waist. By the end of the song, the majority of the class, dressed in their white and red robes, is singing along with the la la's, with their hands in the air and swaying back and forth. _

_One senior who remains in her seat, is Quinn Fabray. It's not a rebellious act, nor is it to disrespect the students singing. She stays in her seat, because if she were to stand, she is not sure she could trust her legs to support her. Tears are running down her cheeks, and she keeps her head down, at the end of the song, she finally looks up to the stage, and through watery eyes, she finds two watery brown eyes watching her. Rachel gives her a half smile, though it was full of sincerity. Quinn's expression doesn't change, but there is a small nod in Rachel's direction. _

"_Ladies and gentleman, the class of 2012"_

_Red and white caps fill the air along with cheers._

_The ceremonies had been moved in to the gymnasium when Lima, Ohio decided to have a rainy day in May. It was loud and crowded as everyone slowly made their way out amongst hugs and 'congratulations'_

_Quinn's feet suddenly weren't on the ground anymore as she was grabbed around the waist from behind and spun around. She has been standing there, still staring at the stage where two of her former friends had just performed when Puck took her out of her trance._

"_Q girl, we did it!" He set her down on the ground and turned her by her shoulders to face him._

"_We did it." She smiled back at the overly excited boy and tipped up onto her toes to hug him around his neck._

"_Now we party!" Puck said, picking her up one more time. Quinn laughed. Puck made her happy. He had been the one friendship she didn't destroy during her final year of high school. This thought is what led Quinn to ask Puck if he could wait for her while she did something before she never had a chance to do it again. _

_She suddenly found herself on a mission. A mission for Rachel Berry. There were so many people lingering around the gymnasium, and Quinn wasn't really sure where she should go. Multiple regrets suddenly filled her mind when she spotted Brittany and Santana having their own private celebration, she realized there was more than one person she needed to talk to before she left the William McKinley campus for the last time._

_She made her way over to the two girls who were so in love and not afraid at all to show it. She tapped Santana on the shoulder, and when her former Cheerio teammate turned towards her and smiled, her built up regrets suddenly took over and tears began to form in her eyes. Santana nodded, silently understanding and said, "We did it."_

_Quinn just nodded._

"_And now we party!" The two girls turned to an excited Brittany._

_She figured she should probably just work on one regret at a time as she watched Rachel leave the gymnasium with her fathers. "And now we party." _

…

"You found Santana instead, I saw. And that was important."

"I wanted to find you."

"And you did. It just took you way too many years." Rachel laughed trying to lighten the mood.

They both settled back in their seats in comfortable silence. Remaining connected from their shoulders to their intertwined fingers.

"Hey, I never saw you send out your text when we left." Quinn broke the silence with her sudden realization.

"The only person I ever really was sending it to, is with me."

...

A/N - So that was Graduation Song by Vitamin C.

A whole bunch of sorry's offered upon a platter for saying this would be up before, well, before now. I appreciate the favorites and alerts, I pretty much light up when I get a *ding* from my email, and that's what it is. And we won't even talk about what it does to me when it's a review. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. If it does, hit me with what you gotta say, I'm a big girl, I can take it! After this, I think these crazy girls are ready to just be together and be in love. "...and they have babies." wait, what? Geez...you know a "spoiler alert" would have been nice.

Good Day Everyone!


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